Wood heel grooving machine



Jan. 5, 1932. N. w. KINNEY 1,839,228

WOOD HEEL GROOVING MACHINE Filed Jan. 8, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 5, 1932. I NW. KINNEY 1,839,228

WOOD HEEL GROOVING MACH INE Filed Jan. 8; 192a 2 SheetsSheet 2 Tate nicest data 5, 1932 amaze PATENT GFFICE NORTON W. m'NEY, OF HAVEBHILIQMASSACHUSETTfi ASBIGNOB TO SLIPPEB, CITY c s ws WOOD MEL COMPANY, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF WOOD HEEL GROOVDTG MAME Application fled January 8, 1928. Serial No. 80,187.,

Wood heels are cut from blanks of two substantially different shapes. The so-called.

Louis heel is cut from a trapezoidal block formed by truncatin two opposite faces of a rectangular paralle o iped 1n planes which are not parallel to eac other and, in general, not parallel to any original face of the rectangular parallelopi ed. F rom-the face corresponding to the sliarper angle of cut the back of the heel is produced, and from the other truncated face the breast of the heel is produced. The larger rectangular lateral face is treated to form the upper or heel seat surface of the heel, and from the smaller rectangular lateral face the bottom of the heel is produced. The two other lateral faces are trapezoidal. The Cuban or military heel is cut from a similarly generated blank, but the angle of truncation at the rear of the blank is not so extreme, and the two angles of truncation do not differ so much one from another, and in general the blank is thinner vertically.

The breastcurve in a heel of either type is cut before the lateral face of the'heel is formed. In the case of the Louis heel, the breast curve is a generally noncircular cylindrical surface with its elements horizontal and perpendicular to the fore and aft dimensions of the heel as well as to the vertical axis thereof. The breast curve of the Cuban heel is generally a cylindrical surface having its elements parallel to the central vertical longitudinal plane of the blank. The

elements of the cylmder are, in eneral, vertical and slope upwardly and ackwardly. W The Louis heel blank has heretofore been ooved to form the breast surface by carrylng it sidewise over a molded rotary cutter formed to shape the required curve at the breast. The heelhas been carried over the cutter in such a way that its vertical axis was approximately parallel to the axis of the cutter and was carried laterall over this cutter axis from one side to the ot er so that the cutter cut straight through from one side of the blank ta the other. The military'or Cuban heel blank has always been grooved for the breast cut on a barrel saw, the cylinder thus formed being consequently always a circular one.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved machine capable of cutting the breast curve in both described types of heel blanks, and having all the advantages of the two former types of machines above mentioned, thereby avoiding the necessity of investment in two types of machines in order to produce the required output of a heel factory, and also avoiding the danger to the operator which has also always been inherent in the use of barrel saws.

To this end, an important feature of the invention consists in a novel organization comprising a rotary critter, a carriage arranged to be traversed past the cutter, and means upon the carriage constructed and arranged to hold a heel blank in any desired position relatively to the cutter for the formmg in the breast surface of the blank of either a vertical or horizontal groove. When a Louis heel blank is being cut, the side planes of the blank will be vertical and parallel to the cutter axis, and will be moved straight across it. In cuttin a Cuban or military heel, owing to the di erence in position of the axis of the breast cylinder, the top andbottom faces of the heel will be parallel to the cutter axis (or, in other words, the vertical axis of the blank will be perpendicular to the cutter axis), and they will also lie generally at an oblique angle to the line of feed in order to get the required vertical slope in the breast curve.

These results'are obtained in the illustrated machine by providing the blank carrying carriage with adjustable jaws for grippin the heel blank arranged to hold its latera faces vertically in cutting a Louis heeland to hold its top and bottom" faces at an angle {.10 tlhe vertical in cutting a Cuban or military Another important feature of the invention resides in novel gagin mechanism provided for positioning the bfiznks. The Louis heel blank has a thin lip at its upper breast portion and the illustrated gage rovided for this type of blank is positione under this lip or shoulder, and is carried past the cutter with the blank. In the case of the Cuban blank, the cut is not so deep and the pull upon the blank by the cutter consequently less. Furthermore, in many Cuban blanks the breast cut goes clear across the face of the breast to the lateral surface thereof, and a gage travelling with the blank would inter? fere with the cutter. The illustrated Louis heel blank gage is therefore made retractable, and a Cuban blank gage mounted on the machine frame is provided to gage the latter type of blank before it is clamped within the jaws. The traversing movement of the blank then carries it away from the gage, and the operation of the cutter completel across the whole breast face is unimpe ed.

The foregoing, as well as additional advantages and features of the invention will appear more completely from a study of the following description and the accompanyin drawings, in which i l is a front elevational view in rspectiveof the machine, showing a Cu an blank mounted within the work carrier;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective front elevational view of part of the mechanism disclosed in Fig. 1 and shows more completely the arrangement of the work carrier and the manner in which a Louis blank is supported;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective front elevational view showing in detail certain parts of the mechanism shown in Fi 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view in section showing the adjustable features of the work carrier.

blank showing t device adapted to hol Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of Fig. 4 showin a difierent position of the gaging devices. ig. 6 is a pers ective view of a Louls heel lie manner in which it is formed; and

Fi 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing a Cu an heel blank.

As shown in the drawings, the machine.

neath the table 16, and carries at one ex-' tremity thereof a rotary cutter head 18.

' The cutter head comprises two disk shaped collars 20 having their mner surfaces grooved to correspond to, and to receive the edges of, knives or blades 22. The inner collar may be either fixed upon the shaft 14, or, as illustrated, the shaft 14 may be reduced at its head may be rotated by any suitable means, as shown in the drawings, by a belt 28 running over a pulley 30, the opposite end of the belt being connected with a source of power. A chute 32 is carried by the mainframe 10 and is located immediately beneath the mtary cutter 18. This chute receives and carries off any shavings, dust, or splinters that may be produced during the grooving operation.

The work carrier, indicated generally by the numeral in Fig. 2, is located upon the flat upper surface of the table 16 and, as illustrated, the carrier is pivotally mounted upon this table for movement between an operative or inoperative position, the purpose of which movement will be hereinafter more fully explained.

A frame 34 is secured to the table 16 b means of bolts 38 (Fig. 5) extendin throug slots 42 and having screw threaded engagement with the table 16. It will be seen that by means of the slot and bolt connection between the frame 34 and table 16, adjustment of the frame across the table ma be effected. To assist in such adjustment, t umb screws 44 are mounted in brackets 46 and have screw threaded engagement with the frame 34, so that, upon rotation of the screws 44, the frame is caused to move across the table. Uprights 48, extending from the frame 34, carry at their extremities horizontally aligned bearing members 36, within which is mounted for lengthwise movement a cylindrical rod 50, the opposite ends of which are securely fastened to arms 52 carrying at their outer end a carriage 54. The carriage 54 forms a part of the'work carrier and has its opposite ends recessed to accommodate w eels 56 (Fig. 1) which engagethe surface .of the table 16 for the purpose of reducing frictional resistance in traversing the work carrier across the surface of the table.

Inasmuch as the carriage 54 comprises a 'pgrtion of the work carrier, and since, as will presently explained, the carriage 54 supports indirectly the members of the work carrier which grasp the heel blank and hold it durin the grooving operation, it will be seen that ateral adjustment of the carriage 54 by means of the slot and bolt arrangements 38, 42, will cause lateral adjustment of the work carrier with re ect to the cutter head, and, conseiuently a justment of the work laterally o the lades mounted within the cutter head. 7

To effect vertical adjustment of the work carrier and, conse uently, adjustment of the work held t e carrier vertically of the aeeaaee blade mounted within the cutter head, the following arrangement of parts is provided. A vertically adjustable supporting member 58 is mounted upon the carriage 54 by means of bolts (Fig. 3) extending through slots 62 in the carriage 54 and having screw threaded engagement with the member 58. Vertical adjustment of the member 58 is per mitted by loosening the'bolts 60 and allowing them to ride through the slots 62, and to assist in this adjustment, bolts 66 have abutting engagement with the surface of the carriage 54 and are threaded through ears 64, formed along the upper edge of the member 58.

lFixedly mounted at one extremity of the supporting member 58 is a block 68 carrying a guard 7 O which guards the cutter head when the work carrier is moved into certainpositions, and a clamping jaw 72 having a work engaging face 74. Movably mounted on the member 58 opposite the jaw 72 is a second jaw 76 supported by a block 80 and having a work engaging face 78. The block 80 is mounted for movement towards and away from the fixed block 68 by means of a pin and slot connection 82, 84. Such movement of the block 80 is effected by means of a toggle mechanism comprising a link 86 pivoted to the block 80 and pivoted at 88 to a handle 90, which handle is in turn pivotally connected at 92 to the carriage 54. Downward movement of thehandle 90 tends to straighten out the toggle mechanism, move the block 80 across the bolt 82, and move the jaw 76 towards the jaw 74.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the machine is arranged to operate with equal facilit either upon Louis or Cuban heel blanks, an to this end aws 72, 76 are adjustably mounted upon their corresponding blocks 68, 80. The bolts 102 serve as pivots for the jaws 72, 76, and arcuate slots 100 formed, in the jaws permit pivotal adjustment of each jaw about its axis,

while bolts 104, extending through the jaws and having screw threaded engagement with the blocks, provide means for locking the jaws in adjusted position. From so much' of the description as has already been given,

it will be seen that the operator, with the carriage 54 drawn to the right as seen in Fig. 1, may insert an unfinished wood heel blank A between the clamping jaws 72. 76, and, by moving the handle 90 about its pivotal axis, clamp" the blank between the jaws. Then, when the blank has been clamped in this manner, the carriage is moved to the left by means of the handle to traverse the entire work carrier together with the blank across the rotary cutter 18 to form the breast groove; the rod 50, which has mounted upon it the carriage 54, and all its attached parts, sliding in the bearings 36. The carriage is then retracted to the starting point and the blank released. I

The two types of heel blanks upon which the machine is designed to operate are shown in Figs. 6 and 7. As illustrated, these blanks are formed from a bolt of wood rectangular in cross section by two transverse cuts. The blank A shown in Fig. 6 is ofthe type employedin the making of a Louis heel and the blank 18 shown in Fig.7 is of the type employed for a Cuban heel. Both blanks are hexagonal trapezoidal solids, having upper and lower faces lying parallel to each other and at right angles to the vertical axis of the blank, two lateral trapezoidal faces lying parallel to each other and parallel also to the vertical axis of the blank, a front or breast face and a rear face both. lying at right angles to the last mentioned two faces and extending generally verticall The front, back, top and bottom faces efined are rectangular in shape.

From a consideration of the two illustrations of these types of heel blanks, the following difi'erentiations between the Louis and Cuban blanks will be apparent: The breast surface of the Louis heel blank is more nearly at right angles to the top and bottom surfaces of the blank, than in the case of the Cuban heel blank. The height of'the Louis blank is generally substantially greater than the height of the Cuban; the top and bottom surfaces of the Cuban heel are of approximately the same surface area whereas the top surface area of the Louis heel is substantially greater than the bottom; and in the Louis blank the front and rear surfaces converge sharply in the direction of an axis located beneath the bottom side of the blank, the front and rear surfaces of the Cuban blank are substantially parallel or only slightly convergent in the direction of an axis similarly located.

In operating upon a Louis heel blank, such as illustrated in Fig. 6, the jaws 72, 76 are adjusted to parallel vertical positions and the blank is inserted between them with its lateral parallel faces engaged bythe clamping faces of the jaws, and with its upper breast edge resting on a gage 94 mounted on the member 54. Upon movement of the carrier across the cutter head as above described the blades of the cutter head will engage the lowermost art of the blank and a groove (indicated by dotted line a, ig. 6) will be formed horizontall across the face of the breast at right ang es to the vertical axis of the blank.

The positioning device or gage 94 is located in a recess formed on the under side of the carriage 54, and is supported upon the carriage b means of a slot and bolt connection 96, 97 Figs. 4 and 5) The outer extremity of the gage 94 has formed thereon a shoulder 99 for engaging the upper breast corner of the blank, as best shown 1n Fig. 4. Inasmuch as the gage 94 is carried by the carriage 54, it will be fed with the work carrier across the cutter head 18 to serve asasupport for the blank dur- Y adjustment of the gage ma efiected by means of a screw olt 112 exten ing the grooving operation. Ithas already been pointed out that adjustment of the work laterally of the cutter head may be effected by means of the screws 44, and it will be seen that such adjustment permits variation in the location of the groove heightwise of the heel, or, as shown inFig. 6, permits variation in the width of the shoulder'indicated zit-95. If it is desired that a'very narrow shoulder be formed upon the block, the gage 94 may be retracted to a point where the outermost edge of it extends only a little beyond the surface of the member 58, and by means of the slot and bolt connection 38, 42, the carrier may be advanced toward the cutter head to such an extent that the blades of the cutter head operate up on the blank as near the extremity of the gage 94 as possible. Retraction or ad- 'ustment of the gage 94 is preferably effected y throwing the carriage 54 and all its. attached parts over in the bearings 36 until the carriage rests on the pulley 30, in which position ready access to the gage is obtained.

The Cuban or military heel is often formed with a slanting or sloping breast surface d,

as illustrated in the drawings and described in one of the preceding paragraphs. In this type of heel the groove is formed vertically down the breast at an equal depth throughout the heightwise dimension of the breast. In grooving this type of heel as well as the Louis type, the breast face 01 is moved in a horizontal plane across the cutter blades, and inasmuch as the breast of the heel, in this t pe of blank, lies at an angle to the faces of the blank engaged by the 'clam ing jaws those upper and lower parallel aces lying of blank to be grooved. The heel blank is at right angles to the vertical axis of the blank), it Wlll be seen that the blank must be supported within the carrier in a tilted or slanting position. By means of the pivotal adjustment provided for the jaws 72, 76 the Cuban or military heel blank may be readily and easily supported on the carrier in the requisite slanting position as shown in Fig. 1, with the breast face of the blank disposed horizontally and the vertical axis of the blank 1 'ng at right angles to the axis of rotation of thb cutter head.

It is to be noted in this connection that the employment of a barrel saw for forming this roove necessitates a circular cut across the breast whereas in the illustrated machines an desired curvature can be made by suitab forming the cutters. y

g hen posltionin a Cuban heel blank, the gage 94 is retracte as shown in Fig. 5, and a second gage device 106 is brought mto use. This second positionin device is mounted on a bracket 114 depending from the table 16, and vertical adjustment ofthe positioning device is permitted by means of a slot and bolt arrangement 108, 110. This vertical be positively ing through the lower extremity of the bracket 114 and bearing on the lower extremity of the gage 106.

The bracket 114 is fixedly located upon the stationary table 16, considerably to one side of the cutter head, in a position corresponding to the loading position of the carrier. It does not extend over the cutter, and is dropped down out of the way when Louis heels are being grooved.

A chute 116 is carried by the gage 106 and is for use in discharging the blank upon completion of the grooving operation, after the groove has been formed by the forward movement of the car 'age. When the carriage has been retracted as above described, the handle 90 is raised and the blank may be discharged and a new one positioned between the jaws without necessitating further movement of the carriage. 4 To prevent splitting of the block as it is traversed across the cutter, the clamping block 76 has the lower part 77 of its engaging face 78 removable and replaceable (Fig. 3?. A new plate 77 is substituted when the sty e of heel being grooved is changed, with consequent change of cutters. Its lower'edge is cut away by the cutter when the first blank is grooved and it always forms a complete support for the following edge of the blank.

In operation the workman moves the carriage to its starting position (i. e. the extreme right of the table 16 as viewed in Fig. 1). Next the handle 90 is elevated to cause separation of the clamping jaws' 7 2 and 76, which jaws have been prevlously adjusted to the proper slant depending on the type or style then inserted between the jaws, gaged on either the device 94 or 106, as the case may be, the gage not in use being retracted out of the way and, while, maintained in its gaged position is clamped by depressing the handle 90 to cause relative approach between the jaws. By moving the handle 90 in a lengthwise direction, the operator now traverses the block across the cutter 18 to form the groove in the breast of the heel blank and, when the blank has been completely traversed across the surface of the cutter, the work carrier is pulled back into its orginal position in which the clamping jaws are located immediately above the discharge chute 116. The operator then elevates the handle 90 to effect discharge of the blank through the chute 116 and the machine is again ready to begin a cycle of operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimfas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for grooving heels having in combination, a rotary grooving cutter having profiled teeth corresponding in shape to that of a heel blank breast curve, and a work carrierhaving clamping jaws arranged to enrssaaas gage opposite surfaces of a heel blank and ad ustable to various fixed positions to orient the blank relatively to the cutter, said work carrier being arranged to carry the heel blank rectilinearly past the cutter.

2. A machine for imparting a cylindrical groove horizontally across the breast of a Louis heel blank or a groove vertically down the breast of a Cuban heel blank having in combination a rotary grooving cutter, a positioning device for use in locating the heel blank preparatory to the forming of a horizontal groove, :1. second positioning device for use in locating the heel blank preparatory to the forming of a vertical oove, and a work carrier adapted to hold the heel blank after it has been positioned by either positioning device and to transfer it to the grooving cutter for the grooving operation.

3. In a machine for operating on heel blanks, the combination with a rotary grooving cutter of a plurality of positioning means, a reciprocable work clamp arranged to grasp a heel blank while in engagement with either of the positioning means at will, present the heel blank to the grooving cutter and subsequently to discharge the heel blank at a point in proit 'to the positioning devices.

4:. A mac ine so constructed and arranged as to be capable of forming in a heel blank either a horizontal groove across the breast of the heel or a vertical groove down the breast of the heel and having in combination a rotary grooving cutter, a plurality of positiom'ng devices for use selectively in accordance with the type of groove to be formed in the heel breast, and a plurality of clamping jaws adapted to grip the heel while in contact with either of the positioning devices at will and to present the heel to the cutter.

5. In a =machine for operating on heel blanks, a rotary grooving cutter having a form corresponding to the curve of a heel breast, a slide lying at right angles to the axis of rotation of the grooving cutter, a work carrier mounted to reciprocate along the slide, and a plurality of clamping jaws carried by the work carrier and mounted for rotary adjustment thereon about an axis parallel to the cutter axis and so located as to ride back and forth across the grooving cutter upon reciprocation of the work carrler, j

6. In a machine for imparting either a horizontal groove across the breast of a Louis heel blank or a vertical groove down the breast of a Cuban heel blank, the combination with a grooving cutter, and a positioning device mounted for movement in a horizontal direction for use in connection with the forming of a horizontal groove across the breast of the heel blank, and a second positioning device mounted for movement in a vertical direction for use in connection with the forming of a vertical groove'down the breast ofthe heel blank, of a work clamp adapted to engage the heel while in contact with either positioning device at will to present-it to the grooving cutter.

7. In a machine for operating on heel blanks, a grooving cutter mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis, a work carrier mounted to reciprocate along a path laterally 0&- set from the rotary cutter and lying above and at right angles to the axis of the rotary cutter, and a plurality of clamping jaws mounted upon the carrier for pivotal adjustment about an axis parallel to that of the cutter, to orient a heel blank in the jaws relatively to the said pat 8. In a machine for grooving heel blanks, the combination with a rotary grooving cutter, of'a work carrier having a jaw with its gripping face parallel to the axis of rotation of the cutter arranged to contact with one of the two parallel lateral faces of a Louis heel blank and to carry it past the cutter with its vertical axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the cutter, said jaw being also adjustable to carry .past the cutter a Cuban heel blank with either of its upper and lower surfaces in contact with the jaw, with the vertical axis of the blank at a desired angle to the path of movement of the blank and perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cutter.

9. In a wood heel grooving machine, a rotary cutter, a carriage arranged to traverse a heel blank over the cutter, a gage on the carria e arranged to support the edge of a Louis eel blank as it passes the cutter, and a second gage mounted on the machine frame arranged to gage a Cuban heel blank in the carriage prior to its passage over the cutter.

10. In a wood heel groovmg machine, a rotary cutter, a carriage arranged to traverse a heel blank over the cutter, a gage on the carriage arranged to support the edge of a Louis heel blank as -it passes the cutter, and

a second gage mounted on the machine frame arranged to gage a Cuban heel blank in the carriage prior to its passage over the cutter, the first-mentioned ga 0 being retractible when a Cuban heel blan is being treated in the machine. I

11. In a wood heel grooving machine, a rotary cutter, a carriage arranged to traverse a heel blank over the cutter, a gage arranged to support the edge of a Louis heel blank in the carriage, a second gage arranged to support the edge of a Cuban heel blank in the rier having clamping means adjustable to warious fixed positions to orient the blank rel- I ativ'ely to the cutter, said work carrier being arranged to carry the heel blank substantially rectilinearly past the cutter.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

NO'RTONVW. KINNEY. 

